Power Line Still Turns Off Residents, Green Groups

Pre-construction work has begun on the , a 500,000-volt transmission line going through Pennsylvania and parts of New Jersey, including Montville.

The line has been deemed necessary by PJM Interconnection, a regional transmission organization that coordinates the movement of electricity through 13 states and the District of Columbia. However, others, including private citizens and environmental groups, , and are still working toward halting its construction.

New Jersey’s Sierra Club is looking into whether PSE&G, the company building the line in New Jersey, has all of its federal and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) permits in place before line construction is set to begin on or about Oct. 1.

“We know that PSE&G is doing preliminary work on the sites,” Jeff Tittel, the New Jersey Sierra Club’s director, said. “We’ve contacted the DEP to ask about what was being done to be sure that they aren’t working in any protected area. We asked for a site inspection at the beginning of August, and so far we don’t know if that has occurred yet or what the results were.”

The DEP said PSE&G was able to produce an approved wetland delineation document, which means that they are not working in any protected area. 

“A land-use permit from the DEP is not required for these activities,” DEP spokesman Bob Considine said.

Tittel said the power line is unneccessary and that there are other ways of getting power than through the line.

“Conservation is working,” he said. “We have other methods of getting power, like offshore wind power and gas power. We don’t need a line bringing dirty coal power into New Jersey. PSE&G is rushing this line through because they are afraid the project will get canceled. PJM canceled two other major power line projects because they were no longer needed. This one isn’t needed either.”